In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Safety 1st Alpha Elite 65 Review

Very difficult to install seat that is equally hard to use
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safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $159 List
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Manufacturer:   Safety 1st
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team  ⋅  Jun 11, 2019
51
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Crash Test - 35% 6.0
  • Ease Of Install - LATCH - 20% 4.0
  • Ease Of Install - Belt - 15% 5.0
  • Ease Of Use - 15% 5.0
  • Comfort / Quality - 10% 4.0
  • Weight / Size - 5% 5.0

The Skinny

The Safety 1st Alpha Elite 65 earned the lowest overall score in our review of convertible seats. The Safety 1st offers a non-rethread harness and easy to use buckle that makes harnessing baby easier than some of the competition but securing the seat to the vehicle is more difficult than any other seat we tested, which is a large part of the equation when it comes to your baby traveling safely. The Safety 1st isn't the best option no matter what features or functions you are looking for in a seat. While it does offer one of the more budget-friendly prices, it is only $40 less than seats that score better in every metric.
REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive price
Easy buckle
Non-rethread harness
REASONS TO AVOID
Difficult to install
Need a towel for rear facing
Hard to use
Update: The Safety 1st Alpha Elite 65 is no longer being made and looks to have been replaced by the Alpha Elite 65 3-in-1 car seat we have not tested this new seat, but its description and look appear similar to the option we tested.

Our Analysis and Test Results

New Alpha vs. Old Alpha


The new Alpha (below left) replaces the old Alpha (below right) with few if any changes beyond the name change.

Safety 1st Alpha Elite 65 3 in 1
Safety 1st Alpha Elite 65 3 in 1

Hands-On Gear Review


The Safety 1st company began in 1985 with a simple car badge, the "Baby on Board" we have all grown accustomed to seeing. In the 30 years since the launch of the famous sign, they have created a collection of safety products becoming a leader in child home safety. Safety 1st makes baby gates, cabinet locks, car seats, plug protectors, strollers, play yards, and more.

Performance Comparison



safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the safety 1st has additional dense foam padding in the head rest area
The Safety 1st has additional dense foam padding in the head rest area
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Crash Test


The crash test data we use are from crash tests on a sled designed to the same specifications of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards. The test is designed to determine if the seat meets the safety guidelines outlined in FMVSS 213. The Safety 1st exceeds the Federal safety minimum requirements for crash tests, and thus should be considered safe. Its crash test scores indicate that many of the competing seats we looked at offer an additional margin of protection when compared to the Safety 1st, whose G-force result of 346 for the chest sensor is better than the required 1000, but isn't as low as many of the competing seats.

The Safety 1st (in black) below compared to the test data for the products with the least amount of G-forces in each test. These results are from the head and chest sensors from the dummy used in the crash test. Also included, are the test results for the products with the least amount of G-forces in each test for comparison.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the alpha hic score of 345.5 couldn't compete with the essentials by...
The Alpha HIC score of 345.5 couldn't compete with the Essentials by Britax Allegiance with a 186 G-forces.
Credit: BabyGearLab, MGA Research
safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the crash test data for the chest sensor for the safety 1st and the...
The crash test data for the chest sensor for the Safety 1st and the Clek Foonf
Credit: BabyGearLab, MGA Research

The Britax Allegiance (in green) has the best test result for the head sensor out of the seats in this review, while the data for the Clek Foonf (in green) show it has the best results for the chest sensor.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - installing the safety 1st in the rear facing position requires a...
Installing the Safety 1st in the rear facing position requires a towel to obtain the right installation angle
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Install - LATCH


For ease of installation using the LATCH method, the Safety 1st earned the lowest score with a 4 of 10 for this metric.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the level indicator on the safety 1st is a red line located on a...
The level indicator on the Safety 1st is a red line located on a sticker on the side of the seat
Credit: Abriah Wofford

This seat is easier to install using LATCH in the front-facing position than the rear-facing. We had trouble tightening the belt to get a secure fit because of the placement of the LATCH anchors on the vehicles being closer together than the width of the seat base. We also needed a towel under the bottom when installing it rear-facing, which cost it in the overall rating. It was the least favorite of more than one tester, and most felt it never really was secure enough no matter how tight it was. Whether it is the need for a towel, the placement of the belt path, or our inability to get the strap tight enough due to anchor placement, this seat failed to impress us compared to the other products.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the red handle at the foot of the seat on the safety 1st is easy to...
The red handle at the foot of the seat on the Safety 1st is easy to use, but will be hidden against the vehicle seat and difficult to access with the seat installed in the rear facing position
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The recline angle of this seat is adjusted using a pull lever on the front of the seat. This lever, like much of the competition, is difficult to access and use when the seat is in the rear-facing configuration.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - installation of the safety 1st with the vehicle belt is fairly...
Installation of the Safety 1st with the vehicle belt is fairly simple with no belt lock off
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Install - Belt


For installation using the vehicle belt, the Safety 1st was marginally better, but this is still one of the hardest in the group.

The Safety 1st belt path for forward facing installation is on the...
The Safety 1st belt path for forward facing installation is on the back of the seat and the hole is relatively small making it difficult for larger hands to fit through
The vehicle belt path on the Safety 1st for rear facing installation...
The vehicle belt path on the Safety 1st for rear facing installation is located down low and near the foot of the seat
These photos are examples of how you would thread the seatbelt for the forward-facing installation (above left) and the rear-facing installation (above right).

Installation with the belt is somewhat better, but most testers felt it would be easier if the belt path were slightly different. It also does not offer a belt lock-off built into the shell of the seat, so you either need to use the additional metal lock off supplied with the seat, or you need to make an effort to get the belt tight and then activate the locking mechanism on the vehicle belt itself. In general, it was difficult for all testers to get this seat securely tightened. Rear-facing was once again more difficult that front, but neither were great and both failed in comparison to the competition. Given the overall difficulty of the installation process and tightening issues, we have concerns that this car seat would be difficult for most parents to install, and this could potentially affect its overall performance.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the buckle on the safety 1st is one of the easiest in the group to...
The buckle on the Safety 1st is one of the easiest in the group to use and the two sides pop out of the buckle when the button is depressed
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


The Safety 1st isn't as easy to use as much of the competition that offered more user-friendly features.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - to adjust the harness height on the safety 1st you will need to...
To adjust the harness height on the Safety 1st you will need to rotate the red levers at the top of the headrest inward and then shift the headrest up or down to the desired position.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Harness


The buckle on this seat is easier to use than many of the others. We like that when you press the button it sort of pops open, which means this one can be worked with one hand if necessary. The harness itself has five different height positions and three crotch positions.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the harness release button on the safety 1st is located just above...
The harness release button on the Safety 1st is located just above the tightening strap under a flap of fabric
Credit: Abriah Wofford

It tightens with a strap at the foot of the seat and loosens by pressing a button hidden under the fabric right above the tightening belt. The height straps are the non-rethread style that we prefer over the rethreading straps that require the baby to be removed from the seat and often the seat removed from the car. To adjust the height, you rotate the two top levers above the headrest in and pull or push the entire portion of the seat to the desired height. The process isn't complicated, but it does have a little bit of a learning curve to learn precisely how to maneuver it.

The LATCH anchors on the Safety 1st stow by connecting to each other
The LATCH anchors on the Safety 1st stow by connecting to each other
The manual for the Safety 1st is stored on the base under the seat...
The manual for the Safety 1st is stored on the base under the seat and it could be soiled or torn since it is not protected or hidden

LATCH Storage


The LATCH connectors store by clipping together on the back side (above left) of the shell if not in use, and while it isn't as important as it is for the infant car seats to keep the clips out of the way, it is still useful to have them contained. This system doesn't really keep the straps out of the way, so we weren't a big fan of the design. The user's manual stores under the seat (above right) on the base, but it could be easily soiled or lost in this location.

Cover


The fabric is hand wash and air dry only, making it challenging to keep clean. It is easy to take the cover off and put it back on which is a plus.

Comfort/Quality


The Elite earned one of the lowest scores for quality and comfort. The Elite looks okay at first glance but starts to have trouble when compared side-by-side with the competition. The fabric on this seat is not particularly soft or pleasant to touch; it has many areas with stitching and crevices that indicate it will be difficult to keep clean. The overall padding is not that great, and the infant insert only adds minimal padding to the sides and head area with no support in the seating area. The insert is also floppy and doesn't stay in place well.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the backside of the safety 1st shell is exposed and would be...
The backside of the Safety 1st shell is exposed and would be difficult to keep clean with all the nooks, straps, and adjustment mechanism exposed
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The shell is open in the back, and it will be challenging to keep clean, especially if your child has an accident that includes a lot of fluid. The foam padding on this seat is the more common Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which is more brittle and dense than the alternative Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) that does not off-gas and is somewhat forgiving should you drop it or mishandle it.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - parts of the bottom of the safety 1st smooth but other portions have...
Parts of the bottom of the Safety 1st smooth but other portions have rough edges that are fairly sharp
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The overall fit and finish of this seat don't compare to the competition in our tests. The fabric is attached to the chair with small elastic loops, which results in exposure of the rough edges of the seat where the material doesn't cover. Portions of the seat bottom also have sharp edges and could potentially damage or cause permanent indents in an unprotected vehicle seat over time. Overall, the seat looks sloppy compared to the competition. The fabric is ill-fitting, the shell is the bare minimum, there seem to be a lot of straps everywhere, and the padding is floppy and needs the straps and baby to keep them in place.

safety 1st alpha elite 65 convertible car seat review - the weight of the safety 1st weighs 16 pounds 8 ounces rear facing...
The weight of the Safety 1st weighs 16 pounds 8 ounces rear facing and 16 pounds 2 ounces forward facing
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Weight


The overall weight of the convertible seats is not as important as the carrier weight of the infant style seats, but it might be a consideration if you plan to travel with your seat or frequent taxis or Uber. If you are like the majority of users, however, you will probably move your seat only a minimum number of times, and the weight of any seat in this review is likely to be acceptable. The Elite weighs about 16 lbs making it one of the lighter options we tested, but it is over 20 inches wide, so it may not be a good choice for carrying or those who need multiple safety seats in one row.

Juliet Spurrier, MD & BabyGearLab Team
 

Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.

BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.

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